POT ACTIVISTS TO RALLY AT OLD CITY HALL

'Human Billboards'; Protesters Decry Police Raid On 'Yongesterdam'
Cafe

Supporters of the legalization of marijuana will gather on the steps
of Old City Hall this morning in support of the Kindred Cafe, a
pot-friendly coffee house raided last week for allegedly selling laced
milkshakes, hot chocolates and baked goods.

More than 100 people are expected to attend the morning rally,
beginning at 8 a. m., many acting as "human billboards" with signs
promoting the regulation of cannabis and demanding pot-friendly stores
such as the Kindred Cafe be left alone.

"It's all supporters and friends just coming out to show moral
support, said organizer Matt Mernagh.

"It's a very busy intersection at 8 a. m., right. Being human
billboards with our flags, our signs, our megaphones. It just shows
people that we're not going to let this go away."

The intendedly vocal gathering comes after police raided the cafe on
Thursday, charging two employees with trafficking of marijuana for
allegedly selling undercover officers marijuana-laced treats.

Following the raid, police removed furniture, machinery and smoking
paraphernalia and an amount of marijuana.

Owner Dominic Cramer faces trafficking-related charges and is expected
to turn himself into police later today. Mr. Cramer owns several other
cannabis culture shops in a Yonge and Bloor streets area hot spot
known as Yongesterdam.

The self-described entrepreneur, activist and philanthropist, who grew
up in Scarborough, has made a name for himself as a pot activist
appealing for the legalization of marijuana.

Chad Cooke, a spokesman for the cafe, said the store provides a place
for people with medical permits to smoke marijuana, as well as social
users, to gather, but never sold anyone drugs.

He said the rally is not associated with Mr. Cramer or the cafe and he
has asked the event organizers to keep it peaceful.

"The time has passed for the in-your-face 'We smoke pot and get high,
get used to it' mentality. That doesn't win over public support and
that's not what we are about. We are about approaching it from a point
of view that it is something normal and common sense prevails, and
public opinion prevails, that this is really a non-issue and we can
move forward from this," he said.

Mr. Cooke said Mr. Cramer would be turning himself in to officers at
52 Division later in the day and be detained overnight for a bail
hearing tomorrow morning. At the time of publication, he had not been
formally charged.

In 2004, a Vancouver SWAT team raided Da Kine Cafe and arrested owner
Carol Gwilt for openly selling pot to customers. Seven cafe staff
members were charged with drug trafficking and possession of marijuana
for the purpose of trafficking.

In 2006, Gwilt pleaded guilty to trafficking charges and possession of
the proceeds of crime. Investigators had seized nine kilograms of
marijuana, some hashish, 300 cannabis-laced cookies and about $60,000
in U. S. and Canadian currency.